PM opens urban community healthcare center

PHETCHABUN, Sept 18 (TNA) – Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over the opening ceremony of an urban community healthcare center, the first of its kind in the country to reduce congestion in public hospitals. After the premier chaired the Cabinet retreat at the Phetchabun Rajabhat University on Tuesday morning, he went to officially open the Primary Care Cluster of the Phetchabun Hospital, Klong Sala branch and observed the operation of the family doctor clinic. The project is run by the state budget under the family doctor clinic development policy. Public health minister, Dr Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn said his ministry has reformed the primary healthcare and family medicine clinics to give people in urban areas access to family medicine physicians quickly and easily in order to reduce congestion in public hospitals. The ministry has targeted to open 110 similar clinics across the country and Phetchabun Hospital is one of 16 provinces under the pilot project. He said the project, launched in 2016 is well received by people. The number of patients, seeking healthcare service at the family doctor clinics has increased by 17.92 per cent or about 74 people daily from 23 people in 2016. About 91.25 per cent of the patients were satisfied with the service, he said. (TNA)